1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to an apparatus for the enhancement of Motor Vehicle tires, in the areas of safer operation, greater reliability, better motor vehicle fuel economy, and conservation/up-grading of tire-construction materials.
2. Description of Prior Art
Existing tires have several “Anti-Flat Tire” devices available to Consumers, ranging from “Tire Within a Tire” devices, internal tire wall “Puncture Sealant”, and “Rigid Side Wall” structural elements. Existing tires with “Rigid Side Walls” to keep the tire from going “flat” allow driving a vehicle with these tires, only to be driven a short distance at low speeds. In addition, existing “Tire within a Tire” designs only permit the driver to reach a destination to get assistance, when the tire is damaged to the point of “air loss”. In those circumstances, the tire is usually non-repairable and must be replaced. The present invention exceeds existing “Anti-Flat Tire” designs by permitting air loss from punctures to occur only at the location of the puncture, by having a vast number of independent “Air Cells” that far outnumber those of existing tire designs. The present invention has the advantage over existing tires with “Rigid Side Wall” aspects, where this invention uses “Modular” components such as independent “Rigid Side Walls” that allow them to be removed to be repaired or replaced. Every element of the “Modular” tire, such as the “Air Cell”/Inner Tube Segments, “Side Walls”, rims, and tire tread can be repaired or replaced, on a regular basis. This is the purpose and intent of this invention, meaning it is a “Life Time” component having only the parts that wear, such as the tire tread replaced when worn. Most punctures in the tires don't even have to be replaced because the air loss is “local” and minimal, with respect to the overall function of the tire. Existing tires often burn in accidents, and cause a great deal of flame because of their large amount of combustible material. Certain variations of the present invention use only a small amount of rubber, being the tire tread, as compared to existing tires that are basically all rubber.
One variation of the invention that uses spring-like structures that simulate the shape of a tire has been previously used by NASA on the Lunar Rover, where this vehicle was an electric car that transported the Astronauts over the moon's surface. The present invention uses this concept for a tire combined with a rubber tire tread that is installed over the part of the wheel that contacts the pavement (usually Asphalt), used on existing highways.